建筑的实用性和美观性
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the following question. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
It is more important for a building to serve a purpose than to look beautiful. Architects shouldn’t worry about producing a building as a work of art. Do you agree or disagree?
审题立意
1. 导语解读：要求考生就情境中所提出的问题写一篇短文。
2. 情景解读：就“建筑物服务于某一目的比看起来美观更重要，所以建筑师不必为是否能建造出一幢像艺术品一样的大楼而烦忧”这一观点发表自己的看法。
3. 文章立意：建筑的实用性和美观性都很重要，实用性满足房屋居住的基本需求，美观性满足人们的审美需求，建筑师应将二者有机结合起来，建造既实用又美观的建筑。
写作思路
1. 第一段引入题目中提到的观点，然后表明自己的看法：这一观点有一定道理，但并不完全正确。
2. 第二段从两方面论证建筑物美观性的重要意义：人们对美，尤其是外在美观越来越敏感，筑造建筑物时越来越看重其美观性；赏心悦目的建筑物可以增加城市的吸引力。
3. 第三段总结全文，重申主题：建筑师应该把功能性和美观性都考虑在内。
参考范文
Speaking of architecture, some people take the view that it is more important for a building to serve a purpose than to look beautiful. That’s why architects are advised not to treat a building as a work of art. 1 As far as I am concerned, this opinion is true to some extent, but it’s far from accurate. 2
On the one hand 3 , there is no doubt that the main function of a building is for people to live and work whether it is beautiful or not. After all, as for buildings, functionality is the foundation of esthetics. However, in modern society, people are more and more sensitive to beauty, especially external features. Therefore, people attach greater importance to the beauty of a building when they construct it. On the other hand 3 , aesthetically pleasing buildings add to the attractiveness of a city, thus attracting more visitors. Take the Sydney Opera House for example, numerous tourists around the world have been to Sydney to visit the beautiful landmark building each year since its opening in 1973. Therefore, it is essential for an architect to take into account the beauty of a building when he or she designs it.
To conclude 4 , both functionality and esthetics should be taken into serious consideration by architects.
说到建筑，有些人持有的观点是：一幢大楼的实用性比美观性更重要。这就是为什么有人建议建筑师不要把一幢大楼像一件艺术品似的去对待。在我看来，这一观点有几分道理，但并不完全正确。
一方面，无论美观与否，建筑物的首要功能无疑是供人们居住和工作的，毕竟，就建筑物而言，实用性是美观性的基础。然而，当今社会，人们对美尤其是外在美观越来越敏感。因此，当人们筑造建筑物时越来越看重其美观性。另一方面，赏心悦目的建筑物可以增加城市的吸引力。以悉尼歌剧院为例，自从1973年开放以来，全世界无数游客都曾来到悉尼参观这座美丽的地标性建筑物。因此，当建筑师设计建筑物时，有必要考虑其美观性。
总之，建筑师应该把功能性和美观性都考虑在内。
范文点评
1. 开篇引入题目中提到的观点。
2. 自然过渡，引出个人观点，紧扣作文话题。
3. 分层次论证自己的观点，论据充分，论证有力。
4. 末段总结全文，重申观点。
要点用法
speaking of 说到
as far as I am concerned 在我看来
be far from 远不及
functionality n. 功能性
esthetics n. 美学
be sensitive to 对……敏感
external adj. 外部的
attach importance to 重视
construct v. 建造
landmark n. 地标
attractiveness n. 吸引力
句法点评
1. That’s why architects are advised not to treat a building as a work of art.
本句中名词性从句使句子结构灵活多样。“That’s why / what / when / where / how...”是固定句式，be动词后面是由疑问词引导的表语从句。
2. On the one hand, there is no doubt that the main function of a building is for people to live and work whether it is beautiful or not.
这句话中包含了一个同位语从句，that引导的句子解释doubt的具体内容。当表达“毫无疑问的是……”时，也可用“undoubtedly, ...”。
